Lucifers Hero

Coaches votes are in: 9 Marcus Bontempelli (WB) 5 Lachie Hunter (WB) 5 Mitch Wallis (WB) 4 Tom Liberatore (WB) 3 Bailey Smith (WB) 2 Steven May (MELB) 1 Jason Johannisen (WB) 1 Jack Macrae (WB) Well done to May as the only Demon among the votes. The only one that deserved any really. Best guess split: 5/4 Bontempelli 4/1 or 3/2 Hunter/Wallis 4 Liberatore 3 Smith 2 May 1 Johannisen 1 Macrae So another week where there was quite different views between the two coahces. Petracca still second on the leader board but another round 13 game tongight.

In April Richardson coached and they beat us 90:55. In July Ratten coached and they beat us 104:85 which included 12 or 13 goals by the saints from our turnovers. There are about 10 players of their July team that didn't play yesterday vs the Lions. Main absentees were Lonie, Bruce and Gresham. Some of the additions are King, Ryder, Hill, Butler, Jones, Kent, Geary, Coffield, Hunter. A vast improvement on the team that beat us that day. Our team is better with inclusions like Weideman, May and Kozzie. The saints have added a lot of skill and speed; things we are not strong on. They beat us with set-ups at stoppages, keeping a player ready to receive on the outside of the pack, switching across their backline and winning the ground ball. Much like the Bulldogs on Saturday. Very pessimistic about this game.

Wasn't there a rule that if a player gets 3 fines in one year the third is an automatic 1 week suspension. Jordan Lewis was hit with this a few years ago when he played for us. I wonder if that rule is still in place? Either way, it looks like a cop out by Christian. Deliberate, low impact, high impact = 1 week holiday. Watch the Tribunal just give Lynch a fine...

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st-kilda-apologises-to-former-player-robert-muir Kudos for the apology. But do they have to wait until a harrowing story is in the media. It behoves all clubs to look back at those that have worn their jumper and reach out before the media spotlight past wrongs. Those wrongs weren't seen as wrongs at the time; sadly it is how our society was. Nor can those wrongs be undone. But the player can be embraced for what they contributed to the club.

tbh I don't think there are changes that will give us a win next week. Bulldogs scored a lot of goals (6? maybe...) from turnovers yesterday. In a Ratten coached saints team in July 2019 they scored 12 goals from turnovers. Our defence is better this year but so is their midfield and they are even better at spreading from the contest than last year. Our coaches know what the saints will bring. Re-watching last year's game will refresh memories. Hope they are ready this time and not tell us after the game that the saints came in with a plan that we weren't able to counter or that we will be ready next time. Heard those old chestnut too many times already this year. If we can't stop the turnovers we are toast. The answer is not player changes as we don't really have the right sort of player to bring in. It will be better skills, better composure, more effort, better set-ups/structures around the ground and last but not least better coaching Doubt that we can do all that.

victorian-government-tells-afl-not-to-host-grand-final-in-nsw/ "While Queensland is the raging favourite to host this year’s decider, NSW has emerged as Victoria’s chief major events rival and the Victorian Government has made it clear it doesn’t want Sydney getting a look-in". NSW are looking to poach other events. Politics is the name of the game!

The info is in the Annual Accounts but it isn't easy to find. If it is at all reassuring, I don't think we have been misled. Also see the two posts above your latest for a bit more context.

I agree the $2.5m of the Leighoak sale was used to pay down debt. My read of the article is we still have debt so to be debt free in 2021 we need to use more of the remaining $7.5 Leigoak/investment portfolio The article also says we will make a loss of $3.5m this year so I am assuming that another chunk of the remaining $7.5 Leighoak/investment portfolio will be used to fund that shortfall. Very good question about the Bentleigh and Leighoak lost revenue. My recollection of the sale announcements was that we would get commercial income from our new facilities (rental, signage etc etc) and growth in memberships. My concern is if we use proceeds from their sale to pay down debt and fund operating losses we won't have the money for the new facilities to get that commercial income that was hoped for. I don't mind paying down debt but don't see a lot of value if interest rates are near zero. I'm more worried about asset sales being used to fund operating losses. So from that view I would like to see the Bentleigh club site not sold until we have a concrete new facilities project to fund.

Not sure what that refers to. More info, please...

Agreed. The figures may be distorted a little because Viney didn't play round 11 so Sparrow filled in there a bit. Over the last few weeks I've noticed our midfield becoming more about roles (when not attending centre bounces/not resting in another position) than names: Wingmen 1 & 2 (AvB and Langdon) play up and down their respective wings and help defend by floating into the backline, sometimes really deep. Midfield 1 (Gus) being parked virtually in the middle (see heat map above) where he patrols the corridor stopping their attacking forays which keep them out wide and helping our attacking forays thru the corridor by acting as a link man. Midfielder 2 (Petracca) drifts fwd of centre both sides of the ground. Midfielder 3 & 4 (Viney and Oliver) - not sure yet what there non CBA/non resting role is. Will be watching closely today to see if I can work it out. Midfielder 5 (Sparrow) rotates with above to the bench or other roles Ruckman (Gawn/Preuss) - sit in hole in defence (Wish I had access to heat maps to test these observations). Its like the ground has been carved up and each has been allocated sections. They don't all need to run both ways all day long. Makes good sense, keeps our ball movement structures in tack while supporting defenders and fwds. Not to mention it conserves energy and it means that a heap of players aren't all going for the same ball stacks-on-the-mill style. So we are close to 'one soldier out, one soldier in' be it within a game or week to week. A strong position to be in.

Yes, it does. imv being debt free isn't such a big deal with near zero interest rates. Would much rather we use any revenue from sale of assets to invest in new facilities than pay down debt or worse use it for operating expenses/avoid making a loss. But I think we are in good financial hands and hopefully the club doesn't trade off our long-term financial position for the short-term.

Looks like the club finally found the formula to keep our top 4 midfielders (plus others) in the middle. AvB is now on a wing and Harmes in defence. The new roles work a treat. MELBOURNE INSIDE MIDFIELD TIME Player R1-9 R10-12 Change Angus Brayshaw 67% 96% +29% Jack Viney 93% 90% -3% Clayton Oliver 96% 93% -3% Aaron vandenBerg 7% 1% -6% Christian Petracca 70% 60% -10% Tom Sparrow 73% 55% -18% James Harmes 27% 0% -27%

In 2020: Loss: -52 vs Carl Win: +42 vs Ess Win: +5 vs GCS Loss: -41 vs Rich Win: +57 vs Adel Mixed bag. Big wins vs the poorer teams with big losses vs the better teams. Nonetheless, they have played a lot at the ground so should know it better than us. Someone posted that it will be windy and that won't help them being so used to playing with a closed roof.

carlton-david-teague-tom-lynch-blues-latest-news "Carlton coach David Teague has implemented a team-wide anti-taunting policy, as debate rages over on-field player behaviour across the AFL" John Ralph reports “...Cain Liddle (CEO Carlton)...said ‘I think Teaguey’s one of those coaches who says toughness and courage is putting your head over the footy and getting it done for your mates, as opposed to banging into people when they’re not looking or slamming people’s heads into the ground". A nice little backhander for Dimmawit and Lynch. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a 'please explain' from management at the Tigers, after all someone there removed his insults to Ox from the interview on their website.

On FC Caro said Richard Goyder, AFL Chairman, wants it in Perth (where coincidentally (or not) is where he lives). Being Chairman of Woodside Petroleum he would be very cosy with Premier McGowan. Lobbying over a fine bottle of red? Mates scratching backs, perhaps... Lots to play out behind the scenes.

Sorry, I didn't this thread earlier so missed your post. Just half an hour ago I started a new thread for this. The mods may want to merge that thread into this one.

Very impressed with this: Pert said fewer than 100 members had sought refunds and remarkably it had seen more than $100,000 flow into the club in membership and donations since they demolished Collingwood last Saturday. The Demons are believed to have had the fewest membership refunds of any club. Nothing like beating Collingwood to fire up demon supporters!

What do folks think? After reading this: WA Premier Mark McGowan on the @AFL Grand Final. Says he has advised the AFL in person that Optus should host it - if they meet health guidelines. "Queensland have teams of people working on it, we haven't acted like that. We've played hard to get". — Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) August 21, 2020 I would say have it at the Gabba! McGowan has made it difficult for the AFL to run the season and now wants the GF to be delivered on a silver platter! They don't deserve it.

Mitch Brown, Mitch Hannan, Trent Rivers and Joel Smith have missed selection, but will be the team's emergencies for Saturday’s game.

Hope you noticed the ?(vomiting emojis) for both Ess and Rich... ... I just want to see that smug look wiped off Dimwit's face...

GCS d Carl Dees d Bulldogs Port d Hawks Ess ??? d Rich ??? because I don't want Tigers to make top 4 and have double chance Syd d Freo Crows d Cats Lions d Saints Eagles d Giants North d Pies Based on dislike of the other team or these winners help our finals chances

Demons to be free of debt and AFL control Key Points: Melbourne's surprising financial position included the following factors: The sale of the Leighoak gaming venue – following the 2018 decision of president Glen Bartlett's board to withdraw from gaming – had netted more than $10 million, which was used to create a $7.5 million investment portfolio that the club can draw down on. The club had the huge asset of the Bentleigh Club (gaming) venue freehold, which could be worth more than $20 million according to industry sources when revalued. This had been acquired in 2011, when the Bentleigh Club was indebted and was merged with the Melbourne Football Club (effectively a takeover) – a little-known transaction from the Jim Stynes board that has proven significant. The Bentleigh Club is slated to cease gaming operations in 2022, and the club had to decide what to do with what was now valuable land and their main asset. The Demons have saved close to $500,000 in rent at their AAMI Park base, according to Pert, having renegotiated that deal for this pandemic-hit season while forced to train at Casey. The club had launched its "Proud to belong, proud to give'' fundraising campaign, which Pert said would reap close to $1 million. The MCC's payments to MCG tenants, despite the loss games, would provide upwards of $400,000 to the club this year. The retention of the Alice Springs game – scheduled next weekend against St Kilda – would provide more than $600,000. Of their major sponsors, the Demons had lost only China Southern Airlines, which could no longer fly into Australia. They have retained key sponsors Zurich, Jaguar, Hertz, IG Investments and Furphy Beer. "They've also re-committed for next year,'' said Pert. The club had re-engaged a working party, which was backed by the AFL and state government, to look at the club's proposed new training/administrative base. For me the most important thing is the last line. So hopefully we can keep the asset revenue for that base. Well done to all.

For those that were thinking of 'trading' Viney ie letting him go as an FA, it isn't happening. Goodwin said in his press conf today that the club and Jack have been talking contracts for a while and he will be with the club for a long time to come. ?

Their mids taking a 'running start' at stoppages if the ball is tapped to the outside. Our ruckman needs to ensure the ball taps go to the inside by either getting the tap first or by body position. That will help stop their forward momentum. My guess is they will try this really early in the game to get a few quick goals and build scoreboard pressure from the get go. So we need to be switched on from the first bounce as early leads are proving hard to pin back with shorter quarters/games.